Menopause & Weight Gain
Two-thirds of us are unfortunately overweight or obese. Combine that with being menopausal and it can prove to be a challenging time for some women. There is a link between menopause & weight gain as many women will say they are still eating exactly the same foods as before. Despite this, they still manage to put weight on.
Why is that?
Alongside simply getting older, fluctuating hormones contribute to the slowing down of your metabolic rate. This impacts the way your body distributes and stores fat. So, it becomes extremely common for women to start putting weight on around their middle, instead of their hips. The classic comparison is going from a pear to an apple shape. Add to that all the extra pressures of life, whether they be teenagers, elderly parents, finances, work etc. Whatever they are, any form of stress can contribute to weight gain during menopause. It’s a well-known fact that cortisol, the stress hormone, encourages fat deposition.
A couple of key points to consider;
- Even if you aren’t too bothered by a few extra pounds it is important for everyone to make sure it doesn’t get ‘out of hand’! Additional weight gain, especially around the midriff, is associated with increased heart disease and the possibility of developing diabetes.
- As we grow older our bodies need less energy than in our teenage, or reproductive years. This means we don’t need to consume as many calories as we used to. Plus from around the age of 40 years we start to lose muscle. Fear not, very slowly, but this also has a contributory effect on weight gain. Muscle burns more energy so obviously less muscle = fewer calories required.
- Here is a little light at the end of the tunnel – as your body adjusts to the changing levels of hormones it can become easier to keep on top of weight gain.
HRT & Weight
Does being on Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) contribute to menopause weight gain?
This is one of the most frequent questions that come up. The general view among leading menopause specialists is that it doesn’t seem to cause weight gain, and can in some cases help to prevent the build-up of abdominal fat. Every woman will however react differently to taking HRT, with many different types of HRT that can be prescribed; transdermal HRT being known to have the least side effects.
Many women experience very positive outcomes of taking HRT with a myriad of symptoms being helped. Renewed energy levels and a more positive mindset can then follow which naturally gives anyone more motivation to tackle their diet and exercise. But remember it is not a magic bullet, there are plenty of other ways we can show you that will work alongside, or instead of HRT.
It does get increasingly frustrating to try and lose those extra pounds though doesn’t it?
How can you help yourself prevent weight gain?
- Eat a nutritious, healthy balanced diet.
- Look at tweaking your diet and exercise levels to cope with those changes that your body is naturally going through. Go on nudging them gently in opposite directions… just a little every day!
- Focus on counting the nutrients rather than the calories.
- Avoid faddy diets.
- Don’t skip meals, it becomes harder to achieve those nutritional requirements and to keep that metabolic rate ticking over…think little and often.
- If you feel the need to fast then do a ‘natural’ fast – have your last meal by 5 pm (after a day of regular nutritious meals) then don’t eat anything else until 7 am the next morning…that way you’re not expecting your body to cope during the day without essential energy and nutrients when it needs it the most. Do make sure you keep hydrated though!
- Have a really good look at what you are eating – unfortunately, sometimes you have to accept that certain foods you may have eaten all your life without any side effects might now be causing you to experience bloating or indigestion…incredibly frustrating I know, but worth cutting down or cutting out of your diet altogether. Much better than filling up with wind every day of life or getting that awful burning feeling…wouldn’t it be wonderful if you could stop that happening just by looking at what you are eating? For me, it was bread…well anything with flour in really! I realized after a few months that after eating anything with wheat in I would blow up like a balloon, highly uncomfortable, on occasion embarrassing and was ultimately, as I found out, very easily rectified just by cutting out certain foods. The added benefits… I realized these foods were making me feel sluggish as well so I had extra energy, felt more alert which had the knock-on effect of more incentive to exercise…win-win!
Extra weight gain prevention tips:
- Have healthy snacks to hand like almonds, dried fruit such as apricots, apples, carrot sticks & peppers are always good to munch on…do stop groaning…there will be some sort of healthy snack out there that you like!
- Eat fresh rather than processed.
- Reduce caffeine intake and if possible go for decaffeinated, caffeine inhibits the absorption of certain nutrients.
- Reduce alcohol intake — really look at how much you drink every week and seriously don’t binge drink! I’m not telling anyone to stop having the odd G&T, just be more aware of what your intake is. At the end of the day, we all know that alcohol is empty calories plus, excessive alcohol and obesity are connected to a lot of long term illnesses and cancers, why not try to prevent those by simply moderating your intake…its a no-brainer really.
- Hydrate — most people don’t drink enough water, aim for 2 liters a day.
- Keep an eye on your sugar intake and refined carbohydrate intake, but don’t be completely grim, give yourself a tiny treat every day — have something like a bite-sized piece of dark chocolate (70%+ cocoa) instead of a morning pastry or fruit scone in the afternoon. Oh yes, been there done that, and know the pitfalls!
- Healthy fats are essential as are complex carbs like whole-grain foods, oatmeal, beans, peas. You need all these for energy.
- Fats — you want to eat unsaturated fats (oils, nuts, oily fish), not saturated (butter, cream, lard, fatty cuts of meat), and avoid trans fats at all costs – they have no nutritional value and are harmful to health, still found in some processed foods, do check labels.
- Have a look at your cooking methods..steaming is better than frying, (helps retain vitamins and minerals.) try poaching instead of frying eggs, grill rather than fry, do stir-fry rather than using sauces all the time.
How do you achieve all the above with busy lives?
Be organized. Make sure foods are bought and to hand so you don’t get tempted by the odd unhealthy snack! Plan meals in advance and I guarantee if you eat a healthy diet, your body will love you for it. You will start to feel more alert, less sluggish, and will definitely have more energy.
Exercise & Movement
With more energy comes more incentive to exercise. If you are experiencing weight gain during menopause engaging in some form of regular exercise is essential and that goes for all aspects of health. Everyone knows that diet and exercise go hand in hand. It doesn’t have to be grim, I’m not suggesting anyone goes and signs up for the next local triathlon…but if that floats your boat, don’t let me stop you! Finding some sort of exercise you enjoy is key and doing a variety of exercises.
For some of us, we find enjoyment from the more conventional exercise as in running, cycling, or swimming. But many of you find the whole lycra brigade completely off-putting! If that’s the case think out of the box. Take up salsa dancing, try skipping (tests the pelvic floor too!). Any form of aerobic exercise is beneficial. Make sure that you want to do it though and it has to be enjoyable, that way it becomes part of your life, not a chore, and becomes the norm.
Extra Tips
- Try setting realistic goals and changes to diet and exercise which are sustainable, especially when tackling weight gain during menopause, when there are so many other pressures in life to consider, is key.
- As with any health issue the healthier you are, the less stressed you are. Therefore, your body will cope better with any symptoms that occur.
As with any information created or developed for Menopause Experts Group, the information in this post is accurate at the time of posting and is for information purposes only. It is not intended to replace or substitute the judgment of any medical professional you may come in contact with. You should always seek advice from your health care professional regarding a medical condition’
